The WHO Office on Quality of Care and Patient Safety in Athens recently joined forces with YouTube Health to host a workshop in Berlin to enhance the quality of health information online and support Member States’ efforts in this area. This collaborative endeavour lays the groundwork to promote health literacy and make high-quality health information universally accessible.
“We are very much looking forward to working together for a world where people can access the health information they need online without having to guess its accuracy,” noted Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, Director of WHO/Europe’s Division of Country Health Policies and Systems, at the workshop.
The role of digital platforms in health
The COVID-19 pandemic brought into the spotlight the prominent role of digital platforms in disseminating health-related information and the importance of reliable information, while also exposing the potential perils of misinformation and disinformation. Data indicates that, in the WHO European Region, a large share of consultations now take place online, as people’s initial approach is to search for symptoms and medical advice online. Health-related searches make up 7% of daily online searches, with approximately 4 billion results related to COVID-19.
In 2021, YouTube had over 110 billion views of health condition videos globally and is working on raising high-quality health content to make it easier for people to identify credible information that can help answer their questions. Commenting on the platform’s impact in the online space, Dr Nira Goren, Clinical Lead at YouTube Health, said, “People use platforms like YouTube to seek answers to questions, such as how do I live with breast cancer or how do I take care of myself.” An increasing number of individuals are also turning to online platforms to share personal stories, alleviate acute distress, and build a community to help decrease feelings of isolation.
However, online health information that is inaccurate or misleading can pose a significant risk to one’s health. A recent WHO review showed that infodemics and misinformation negatively affect people’s health behaviours. The distorted understanding of health hazards, such as smoking, alcohol intake, unhealthy eating habits, or physical inactivity, can result in various life-altering and potentially fatal noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer or diabetes.
Empowering health through high-quality health information online
High-quality health information can empower individuals to take control of their health, make informed decisions about their treatment options, and improve their overall well-being and quality of life. With more and more people relying on the internet for medical advice, it is essential that the information available is reliable, accurate, easy to understand, and up-to-date. Collaboration with health care stakeholders in Member States across the Region is needed to ensure this. It also requires fostering inclusive partnerships that bring together patients, health care professionals, ministries, nongovernmental organizations, and major social media platforms.
“Social media platforms are crucial tools to improve and disseminate high-quality health information online and we should work on that together, involving everyone in this process. Our primary focus should be to actively listen to community concerns, promote understanding of risk and health expert advice, engage and empower communities to take positive action, and support health professionals and
Moreover, fostering trust in authoritative online health information sources at the population level entails working with academia and other partners to create further scientific evidence on the impact of misinformation on quality of care, acting as a lighthouse in consolidating the creation of scientific evidence.
“Empowering communities with education is essential to helping people live healthier lives. YouTube Health is delighted to interact with WHO and authoritative health sources across Europe to increase access to evidence-based, equitable and engaging health information,” noted Dr Garth Graham, Director and Global Head, Healthcare and Public Health, YouTube.
Πηγή: who.int
